New date set for Cleverly cruiserweight debut

Nathan Cleverly will return to the ring on February 1 to make his debut at cruiserweight level against Junior Makabu on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin's world title fight with Osumanu Adama in Monte Carlo.

Cleverly was scheduled to return last November, but had to withdraw from his bout with Daniel Ammann for the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight title after suffering a back injury.

That fight was then rearranged for February 8, but Cleverly will now replace Pawel Kolodziej to fight Makabu in a non-title fight.

The Welshman lost his WBO light-heavyweight title following a knockout defeat to Sergey Kovalev in Cardiff last August.

Makabu has fought 16 times professionally, losing only once on his debut in 2008. Of his 15 victories, 14 of them have come by knockout.